Improvement in the manufaotuee of finger-baes foe haeyesters



vTo ALL w'HoMILr MAYgooNoERN:

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RUFUS BUTTON, 'OE NEW YORK, N.V Lemfspaaaflvo.vs,196, amenity 26,'18e8.

IMPROVEMENTIN IHE MA-NUEAGTURE OP FINGER-BARS FOR HARVESTERS'.

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Be it knownA that I, RUFU'S BUTTON, ot `the' city cf New York, in the county ofNew'York, and State of New York, have invented a newand improved-Method of Constructing the Finger-Bars of Mowifng and Itt-Japing` Machines.; and I do hereby declare thatlthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference, being had to the accompanyingfdrawings, and tothe letters otgreference'marked thereon,land making apart of this specication.

- The nature or character of Vmy invention consists in forming' or rolling, bysuitable machinery or mechanism, a blank or plate of' steelor metal,`of the thickness required for a finger-bar, and of a width vsuficielit fortwo finger-bars, such plate also having each `edge turned or raised, so as to` form a flange .or rib,l so-aspto secure Vall requiredstrength and rigidity, with the least quantity of metal andin dividing such blank or plate of metal diagonally in the direction of its length, so as to form two.bars from it. l p

VFigure 1 represents a blank or plate of steel: or metal formed by machinery, with its edges curved upward or raised, and made` of a width suicient for two finger-bars.

Figure 2 shows' one-half of such a plate or blank, as represented in fig. 1 constituting a finger-bar, such plate'being cut diagonally lengthwise through its centre.

The finger-bars of mowing or reaping-machineshave heretofore generally been constructed singly, or a single bar by itself, and such'bars have most usually beena dat piece or bar of metal, of 4a uniform thickness, and the tapering form has .been given them by hammering and rolling, or by cutting away the part necessary for such purpose.

i By my improved method of construction, a blank o r plate, A, of steel or metal,ris first rolled out or formed by suitable machinery or mechanism, as byrolls, of any thickness desired, and of a breadthsuicient for two finger-barsl Such plate, however, instead of -being rolled or formed flat, is turnedV up or raised at each side or i edge, as seen at B B,`g. 1.= The blank or plate A, as it is so formed by the machinery, is 4simply-a plain dat piece of steel or metal, with'its opposite sides or edges turned or curvedrupkgenerally about a quarter` to threeeighths of an inch above the upper surface of the bar. I l y Having been so shapedl by machinery or mechanism, the plate is then out the required length for a ingerbar, and is 'then cut or dividedinto two halves or pieces lengthwise and diagonally, iu'the direction shown by' the dotted linea o, iig. 1. This division of the plate A produces two linger-bars suitable for use, and requiring' no forging or shaping', and Aonly smoothing in some parts, and makingV suitable holes to connect it to the machine, and to attach the ngers thereto. Y s i g A `The blank or plate A should be cut or divided in a diagonal direction,'as indicated by the dotted' line a a', iig. 1,-so as to give to each half of the plate or to each'bar, a greater breadth "at one, end than at the other. The broader en'd is intended to form the heel of the bar, which connects to the machine, and which receives the gratest'strain, and the narrow end forms the outer end of the bar,.`where less stengthis demanded. The inclination of the division-line a a will" correspond to the desired taper of the bar, but generallyrwill be such that in a finger-bar of four feet long, the heel of such .bar will he abo-ut one 'or one and a half inch broader than the other end. f A

When the plate A is thus divided, the ends QC of the two 1t artsibeco1ne the inneuends of the bars, and

the vother ends D D become the outer ends. And when the two parts are so changed that their broad ends are" together, the turned-uporraised edge ci' each bar will be on .the same side of eacb,;aud will also constitute the `front edge or side of the bar. If it is desired to have such turned-up edge on the back side of the bar, the

diagonal line q, a wi'll incline in an oppositeY direction from that shown.

By so turning up one edge or side Vof the Hager-bar, much greater strength and stiffness are secured, Vthus permitting the bar lto be made of much thinner 'metal than it otherwise could be. `All required strength with great lightness can thus be secured and combined. To secure the lightest bar possible with the required strength, I preferito make the nger-bar of'steel.v

Figure 2 represents one-half of e plate'or blank, such as is-shown' ing. 1, having suitable holes b b to connect the bar to themachine or shoe, and other holes c cfor securing the fingers to the bar, such fingers being indicated in outline by dotted lines.

Figure 3-yis a cross-section of iigfl, showing moie plainly the curving or the raising of the edges B B of A the plate.

lby iig. 2.

l 'purpose set forth.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Figure 4 is a cross-section of one part of the plate A, after it has been out o i" divided lengthwise, as shown Constructing the fmger-bars of harves'ters, substantially as described, that is, formingby suitablermachinery or mechanism, a. metallic plate of the required thickness for a. finger-bar, and of a vf'idth suicient for. two bars, and having both of its edges or'side'stuijned up or raised. above the general surface or plane of the plate, and then dividing or cutting such plate obliquely lengthwise, so that when so divided, there will be formed two separate plates, each suitable for o. single bar of tapering form, and each having a raised or turned-up edge, for the R. BUTTON.

Witnesses:

FRED. B. SEARS, W. R. RoNALDs; 

